St. Anthony Hospital invests $45,000 to bolster community health initiatives across Umatilla County
By Terry Murry on Friday, March 27th, 2026 in Columbia Basin News More Top Stories
PENDLETON – (News release from St. Anthony Hospital) St. Anthony Hospital announced a commitment of $45,000 across three local nonprofits, awarded through its 2026 Community Health Improvement Grants program. This marks the third consecutive year St. Anthony has invested in area nonprofits, funding initiatives that directly address urgent community health needs.
“Our Community Health Improvement Grants are one of the ways we demonstrate St. Anthony Hospital’s deep commitment to building healthy communities,” said Director of Communications Emily Smith. “This investment reflects our mission to improve health and advance social justice, directly strengthening local organizations that are doing incredible work to support families and communities in our own backyard.”
The grants align with needs identified in St. Anthony’s Community Health Needs Assessment. The 2026 Community Health Improvement Grant awardees include: CAPECO Food Share program, the Salvation Army Pendleton Daily Feeding program, and Pendleton Friends of the Library.
The CAPECO Food Share program delivers over one million pounds of food annually to 19 partner agencies across Umatilla, Morrow, Gilliam, and Wheeler Counties. The food is then organized into over 100,00 boxes annually which are distributed to local residents.
The Salvation Army Daily Feeding program in Pendleton offers a hot meal seven days a week to anyone who comes through their doors. The program serves approximately 150 meals per day, reaching over 2,100 individuals and totalling more than 40,000 meals in the past year.
The Pendleton Friends of the Library is using its grant to expand the Library of Things at Pendleton Library. The Library of Things offers community members access to a variety of items, and this grant will specifically fund access to outdoor equipment. These items include children’s backpacking equipment, fishing equipment, water gear, and more.
“We are incredibly proud to once again partner with local nonprofits to help improve the health and well-being of the communities we serve,” said Smith. “We are looking forward to working with these three outstanding organizations in the coming year.”
Photo of grant winners from St. Anthony Hospital
